Among this elite crowd, the one individual who stood head over shoulders above the rest was Michael Phelps. At 23, Michael Phelps has become an international sporting sensation by winning eight gold medals and smashing seven world records in the process. He is also the first athlete ever to secure first place so many times at a single Olympics.
Michael Phelps
The path to success for Michael Phelps was however not a smooth one.
· At the age of seven Michael was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This is a childhood condition characterized by constant activity, impulsive behavior and the inability to focus one's attention on anything for a short span of time. To help release his pent-up energy, Phelps took up swimming.
· At the age of nine, Michael's parents divorced. His mother brought up all three children (two sisters) single-handedly, encouraging them to follow their dreams at all costs.
· In 2004, Phelps, then 19, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months probation, saying in court, "I recognize the seriousness of this mistake and will continue learning from this mistake for the rest of my life."
The reason I am telling you all this instead of glorifying his achievements, is to state that success was not handed on a silver platter to Michael. He like the rest of us has had his share of setbacks in life. In spite of all these however, he went on to become the supreme champion that he is currently. I believe there is much that we can learn from the success of Michael Phelps.
Some of them are:
Setbacks are part of life and winners get on with it. In spite of the many setbacks early in his life, Michael bounced back every time and used these setbacks as building blocks to achieving more success. He never ever allowed these setbacks to become obstacles or excuses in his quest for swimming success. Like him, we must realize that setbacks are part of nature’s way of making us all stronger. Using an analogy, we are all like a flame in the wind; some people use the wind to make their flame get bigger, whilst others blame the wind for blowing out their flame. Winners like Michael, always choose the former!
Dream big! Don’t let anyone tell you your goal is impossible. Imagine if Michael had told people a few years ago that he wanted to win eight gold medals at the Olympics. What do you think would have been their reaction! Yes, I am sure skepticism! If he had listened to these cynics, we would have been deprived of seeing his world class performances. He not only had big goals; he was totally focused and committed to it. In management we must all learn to shoot for the stars and maybe we will at least hit the moon! Never ever listen to the cynics. It is always in their interest not to see other people successful.
Use failures and cynics to motivate you. At the Athens Olympics in 2004, Phelps was beaten by teammate Ian Crocker in the 100m butterfly. Instead of allowing this event to demoralize him, he used it as a source of inspiration to become even better. He put up a poster of Crocker winning the event in his bedroom to constantly motivate him to train even harder in the event. Another thing that motivated Michael was Ian Thorpe’s (the great Australian swimmer who won five gold medals at the Athens Olympics) statement that he thought winning eight gold medals was ‘unattainable’. Michael stuck a note with Thorpe’s statement on his locker to be used as a constant source of motivation. We all need to be motivated. What better way than to prove the cynics wrong or else to use our past failures to drive us to future success!!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
3 critical sucess factors
There are 3 Critical Success Factors to ALL success in business and life.
When you use these 3 Critical Success Factors as your "base" with anything you strive for-- then "success"
comes knocking...
Here's ALL 3...
1) Belief. It is absolutely crucial that you believe in what you're doing.
Now...
This is easy at the beginning because you're focused on what you stand to gain from achieving your goal.
As time goes on, you may gradually forget how excited you were and start to lose that inner fire.
To avoid this possibility -- keep your "vision" strong and clear in your mind. Even write it out in full detail, or create a visual reminder of images that represent your goals.
Revisit these reminders frequently - Every day if you can.
2) Self Confidence. Your confidence may be strong at the start but it can quickly fade when you encounter obstacles or setbacks.
If this happens -- remember that you once believed you had the ability to achieve your goal.
So, REMIND yourself 'why' you felt that way.
In fact, you may find it helpful to write these reasons down when you first set a goal, and then keep reading them back to yourself when you feel your confidence start to wane...
Remind yourself that obstacles and setbacks are temporary, but a solid belief in yourself is enough to propel you through them.
3) Motivation.
Staying motivated can be a HUGE challenge, especially once the newness and excitement of your goals have worn off and it's beginning to feel like "work."
Here's the thing:
Nine times out of Ten, motivation requires a simple 'decision' to stay optimistic and inspired.
If your goal is truly important to you - then you'll find ways to keep your motivation high.
Talk to other successful people who have demonstrated tenacity and gone on to achieve much.
The more you pump yourself up, the stronger your motivation will stay.
When you use these 3 Critical Success Factors as your "base" with anything you strive for-- then "success"
comes knocking...
Here's ALL 3...
1) Belief. It is absolutely crucial that you believe in what you're doing.
Now...
This is easy at the beginning because you're focused on what you stand to gain from achieving your goal.
As time goes on, you may gradually forget how excited you were and start to lose that inner fire.
To avoid this possibility -- keep your "vision" strong and clear in your mind. Even write it out in full detail, or create a visual reminder of images that represent your goals.
Revisit these reminders frequently - Every day if you can.
2) Self Confidence. Your confidence may be strong at the start but it can quickly fade when you encounter obstacles or setbacks.
If this happens -- remember that you once believed you had the ability to achieve your goal.
So, REMIND yourself 'why' you felt that way.
In fact, you may find it helpful to write these reasons down when you first set a goal, and then keep reading them back to yourself when you feel your confidence start to wane...
Remind yourself that obstacles and setbacks are temporary, but a solid belief in yourself is enough to propel you through them.
3) Motivation.
Staying motivated can be a HUGE challenge, especially once the newness and excitement of your goals have worn off and it's beginning to feel like "work."
Here's the thing:
Nine times out of Ten, motivation requires a simple 'decision' to stay optimistic and inspired.
If your goal is truly important to you - then you'll find ways to keep your motivation high.
Talk to other successful people who have demonstrated tenacity and gone on to achieve much.
The more you pump yourself up, the stronger your motivation will stay.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Stop Making Excuses
Stop Making Excuses
August 13th, 2008 176 views Posted by Brian of Positive Living
There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who make things happen, and those who make excuses. And you can’t be both. Which means that—no matter how focused you are on making your goals a reality, no matter how much time and money you invest, no matter how many books you read and seminars you attend—you’re never going to be successful unless you stop making excuses and start taking responsibility for the situation you’re in.
I don’t mean to be harsh. I know some obstacles seem insurmountable, and over the years I’ve heard just about every excuse imaginable. Some of the excuses I hear over and over are:
“I don’t have the right education.”
“I don’t have enough money to get started.”
“I don’t have enough time.”
“I don’t have the skills and talents.”
“I’m not rich enough, famous enough, or good looking enough.”
Okay, you get my point. But lots of people have faced much tougher obstacles and have still gone on to succeed. It’s not your education or lack of money. It’s not that you don’t have time, skills, or talent. It’s not the economy’s fault. It’s not your boss’s fault. It’s not your grandmother’s fault. Do you see where I’m going here? No matter who you are—and regardless of your situation—there’s only one thing blocking your success.
You.
I know, that’s a tough thing to accept. It’s much easier to blame your lack of success on someone else. But guess what? You can’t.
If you really want to succeed, you need to take responsibility for the way things are in your life. Why? Because when it comes down right down to it, you are the only one who has the power to change these things.
Many people don’t even attempt their goals because of one excuse or another. They say things like:
“It’s more important for me to spend time with my family right now.”
“I’m working long hours as it is and just don’t have the time.”
“I’m not in a position to take a risk right now.”
These sound like pretty good excuses, right? But here’s the deal. You’ve got to start somewhere. If you sit around waiting for the perfect time to get going, chances are you’ll never succeed . Because there is no perfect time. Or, let me reframe that. The perfect time is right now.
At the end of the day, would you rather have more success, or would you rather have a whole pile of excuses? The choice is yours. If you are not exactly where you want to be, stop making excuses. Take some responsibility, and good things will happen.
August 13th, 2008 176 views Posted by Brian of Positive Living
There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who make things happen, and those who make excuses. And you can’t be both. Which means that—no matter how focused you are on making your goals a reality, no matter how much time and money you invest, no matter how many books you read and seminars you attend—you’re never going to be successful unless you stop making excuses and start taking responsibility for the situation you’re in.
I don’t mean to be harsh. I know some obstacles seem insurmountable, and over the years I’ve heard just about every excuse imaginable. Some of the excuses I hear over and over are:
“I don’t have the right education.”
“I don’t have enough money to get started.”
“I don’t have enough time.”
“I don’t have the skills and talents.”
“I’m not rich enough, famous enough, or good looking enough.”
Okay, you get my point. But lots of people have faced much tougher obstacles and have still gone on to succeed. It’s not your education or lack of money. It’s not that you don’t have time, skills, or talent. It’s not the economy’s fault. It’s not your boss’s fault. It’s not your grandmother’s fault. Do you see where I’m going here? No matter who you are—and regardless of your situation—there’s only one thing blocking your success.
You.
I know, that’s a tough thing to accept. It’s much easier to blame your lack of success on someone else. But guess what? You can’t.
If you really want to succeed, you need to take responsibility for the way things are in your life. Why? Because when it comes down right down to it, you are the only one who has the power to change these things.
Many people don’t even attempt their goals because of one excuse or another. They say things like:
“It’s more important for me to spend time with my family right now.”
“I’m working long hours as it is and just don’t have the time.”
“I’m not in a position to take a risk right now.”
These sound like pretty good excuses, right? But here’s the deal. You’ve got to start somewhere. If you sit around waiting for the perfect time to get going, chances are you’ll never succeed . Because there is no perfect time. Or, let me reframe that. The perfect time is right now.
At the end of the day, would you rather have more success, or would you rather have a whole pile of excuses? The choice is yours. If you are not exactly where you want to be, stop making excuses. Take some responsibility, and good things will happen.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
No mistakes , Only lessons
"Do not dwell upon the sins and mistakes of yesterday so exclusively as to have no energy and mind left for living rightly today, and do not think that the sins of yesterday can prevent you from living purely today." - Byways of Blessedness
It's been said that the majority of conversations by men over 40 are about the past --- sometimes it's about the "good old days" and sometimes it's about the deals gone bad, the "if I only had" stories, the missed opportunities, etc.
Letting our "sins and mistakes of yesterday" dominate our thinking today robs us of our present joy and our future happiness. It causes us to miss the real opportunity of TODAY!
John Maxwell, in his outstanding best seller, Failing Forward, gives some great practical advice: "To move forward today, you must learn to say good-bye to yesterday's hurts, tragedies and baggage. You can't build a monument to past problems and fail forward."Take time right now to list the negative events from your past that may still be holding you hostage. For each item you list, go through the following exercise:
1. Acknowledge the pain.
2. Grieve the loss.
3. Forgive the person.
4. Forgive yourself.
5. Determine to release the event and move on."
Your best days are definitely ahead of you if you treat your "mistakes" as necessary lessons to be learned. If you understand that each lesson brings with it a certain amount of wisdom, you can understand how truly enhanced your life is becoming. Many people can't achieve the success of their dreams because they won't leave their past behind. They won't tear down the monuments they've built to their old hurts and problems.
One of my all-time favorite affirmation verses comes from the Apostle Paul who said, "...but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal..." One of the best teachings I ever heard on this was from a motivational speaker whose name has escaped me, but whose message didn't: "In life there are no mistakes, only lessons."And that's worth thinking about.
It's been said that the majority of conversations by men over 40 are about the past --- sometimes it's about the "good old days" and sometimes it's about the deals gone bad, the "if I only had" stories, the missed opportunities, etc.
Letting our "sins and mistakes of yesterday" dominate our thinking today robs us of our present joy and our future happiness. It causes us to miss the real opportunity of TODAY!
John Maxwell, in his outstanding best seller, Failing Forward, gives some great practical advice: "To move forward today, you must learn to say good-bye to yesterday's hurts, tragedies and baggage. You can't build a monument to past problems and fail forward."Take time right now to list the negative events from your past that may still be holding you hostage. For each item you list, go through the following exercise:
1. Acknowledge the pain.
2. Grieve the loss.
3. Forgive the person.
4. Forgive yourself.
5. Determine to release the event and move on."
Your best days are definitely ahead of you if you treat your "mistakes" as necessary lessons to be learned. If you understand that each lesson brings with it a certain amount of wisdom, you can understand how truly enhanced your life is becoming. Many people can't achieve the success of their dreams because they won't leave their past behind. They won't tear down the monuments they've built to their old hurts and problems.
One of my all-time favorite affirmation verses comes from the Apostle Paul who said, "...but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal..." One of the best teachings I ever heard on this was from a motivational speaker whose name has escaped me, but whose message didn't: "In life there are no mistakes, only lessons."And that's worth thinking about.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Pressure ?
“Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary. When you start thinking of pressure, it's because you've started to think of failure.” Tommy Lasorda
How do you deal with pressure? Now I’m not talking about the nervousness you feel when thinking about the exam you are going to take later this week or fretting about whether or not your car is going to start in the morning. Nor am I talking about the anxiety you feel over getting that raise at work or landing that new position you really desire. Sure, these situations have some stress and strain related to them, no doubt about it. But they’re not the real deal when it comes to full-strength pressure.
The pressure I am referring to is not your day to day, namby-pamby version of life’s daily demands. Rather, I am talking about palm sweating pressure that can shatter your nerves, crush your will and knock you to your knees — if allowed to do so. Pressure that comes at you full force, in life changing, break or be broken moments when everything is laid on the line.
“You never will be the person you can be if pressure, tension, and discipline are taken out of your life.”James G. Bilkey
On the other hand, if you typically stay in control when adversity smacks you right in the chops, chances are good that you are an individual who generally responds to problems when they occur. By staying cool, calm and collected, even when the heat is turned up past the boiling point, you’re better able to focus on finding a way around, over or through the obstacle placed in your path. Responding rather than reacting is the name of game when dealing with pressure.
Think about it for a moment. Let’s say you’re not feeling particularly well and the doctor prescribes some medicine for you to take. If your body responds to the medication, chances are excellent that you’ll be up and around in no time at all. However, if your body reacts to the prescription, you can actually end up worse off than before you took the medicine. The same principle applies to daily life.
How do you deal with pressure? Now I’m not talking about the nervousness you feel when thinking about the exam you are going to take later this week or fretting about whether or not your car is going to start in the morning. Nor am I talking about the anxiety you feel over getting that raise at work or landing that new position you really desire. Sure, these situations have some stress and strain related to them, no doubt about it. But they’re not the real deal when it comes to full-strength pressure.
The pressure I am referring to is not your day to day, namby-pamby version of life’s daily demands. Rather, I am talking about palm sweating pressure that can shatter your nerves, crush your will and knock you to your knees — if allowed to do so. Pressure that comes at you full force, in life changing, break or be broken moments when everything is laid on the line.
“You never will be the person you can be if pressure, tension, and discipline are taken out of your life.”James G. Bilkey
On the other hand, if you typically stay in control when adversity smacks you right in the chops, chances are good that you are an individual who generally responds to problems when they occur. By staying cool, calm and collected, even when the heat is turned up past the boiling point, you’re better able to focus on finding a way around, over or through the obstacle placed in your path. Responding rather than reacting is the name of game when dealing with pressure.
Think about it for a moment. Let’s say you’re not feeling particularly well and the doctor prescribes some medicine for you to take. If your body responds to the medication, chances are excellent that you’ll be up and around in no time at all. However, if your body reacts to the prescription, you can actually end up worse off than before you took the medicine. The same principle applies to daily life.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Self Confidence
"Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings." - Samuel Johnson -
No matter how hard you try to bury it and regardless of how long you have neglected it, your pride is still burning strong. Every person longs for the unparalleled feeling of self satisfaction that comes from a job well done. There are few better feelings than knowing you did your best and by doing so, you completed the goals and objectives you set for yourself. You should never feel ashamed about taking a great deal of personal pride in your accomplishments.
"Take pride in how far you have come, have faith in how far you can go." - Author Unknown -
People rarely need to ask the winners what they stand for, since winners let their actions do the talking, not their words. A winner takes pride in himself or herself, knowing full well that this pride is the driving force behind his or her inner strength.
You should be proud of who you are, you should be proud of where you are going, you should take pride in the way you treat other people and should never, ever compromise what you firmly believe is right. You need to do the things that you know need to be done, say the things that need to be said and be the person that you need to be.
No matter how hard you try to bury it and regardless of how long you have neglected it, your pride is still burning strong. Every person longs for the unparalleled feeling of self satisfaction that comes from a job well done. There are few better feelings than knowing you did your best and by doing so, you completed the goals and objectives you set for yourself. You should never feel ashamed about taking a great deal of personal pride in your accomplishments.
"Take pride in how far you have come, have faith in how far you can go." - Author Unknown -
People rarely need to ask the winners what they stand for, since winners let their actions do the talking, not their words. A winner takes pride in himself or herself, knowing full well that this pride is the driving force behind his or her inner strength.
You should be proud of who you are, you should be proud of where you are going, you should take pride in the way you treat other people and should never, ever compromise what you firmly believe is right. You need to do the things that you know need to be done, say the things that need to be said and be the person that you need to be.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Being Extra Ordinary
Extra, Extra -- Read All About It!
The only difference between ordinary achievement and extraordinary achievement is that little "extra". Ordinary people with ordinary backgrounds and from ordinary places can accomplish some truly extraordinary feats when they are willing to put in a little extra here and a little extra there.
The principal reason some people make it and some people don't can be traced back to whether or not they are willing to consistently go that extra mile and give that extra effort. Becoming extraordinary requires work. Most people are unwilling to commit the extra effort, focus and commitment needed to take them to the top. After all, they have discovered that it is a lot easier to be just ordinary.
A lot of people, who could have gone so much further and could have accomplished so much more, tragically settle for so much less out of life. It seems as though being average is OK for them. In fact, just plain old average seems to be OK for most folks.
The only difference between ordinary achievement and extraordinary achievement is that little "extra". Ordinary people with ordinary backgrounds and from ordinary places can accomplish some truly extraordinary feats when they are willing to put in a little extra here and a little extra there.
The principal reason some people make it and some people don't can be traced back to whether or not they are willing to consistently go that extra mile and give that extra effort. Becoming extraordinary requires work. Most people are unwilling to commit the extra effort, focus and commitment needed to take them to the top. After all, they have discovered that it is a lot easier to be just ordinary.
A lot of people, who could have gone so much further and could have accomplished so much more, tragically settle for so much less out of life. It seems as though being average is OK for them. In fact, just plain old average seems to be OK for most folks.
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